07.29.2019

Prisoners vs Slaves

Prisoners presumably have committed a crime. Their life is severely restricted because of presumed crimes they have committed and a justice system that has brought judgement.

Slaves have committed no crime for which they are being punished. Their freedom is stolen (criminally) from them.

Yet the life of a slave often has fewer options, less hope for survival and reduced opportunities to change their future.

Modern day slavery is on the rise. Worldwide. Even in countries where we presume the existence of “certain inalienable rights”.

Good time to talk about modern day slavery in your circle of influence. Laws may change circumstances but the Gospel changes views. Bring the Gospel to the battle where you live and in all that you do.

Feeding the poor – feed them the Gospel also. Improving health – give the Gospel too. Offering education and business opportunities – offer the Gospel as well. The Gospel changes everything!

We are in the work of changing views. Join with us. Tell a friend how you feel about modern day slavery. Talk is a first step to engaging.

Today marks the anniversary of the death of one of the great abolition fighters of all ages –

William Wilberforce was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. A native of Kingston upon Hull, Yorkshire, he began his political career in 1780, eventually becoming an independent Member of Parliament for Yorkshire. Wikipedia

Born: August 24, 1759

Died: July 29, 1833

07.24.2019

US grows in human trafficking

U.S. ‘the fastest growing market’ for trafficking

01.15.2019

Honor “T12” with us

They called her “T12”. The human trafficking police use code words to protect the innocent. “T”stands for “target” and “12” is the age she was sold into slavery. By. Her. Mother. Many times over. She was a domestic slave who cleaned 12 hours a day and was available by night. Living outdoors behind a palatial mansion she had one change of clothing and ate 2 small rice meals a day. Unable to read or write her own language she was trapped by illiteracy, ignorance and poverty.

But God did a miracle. An obscure American couple noticed her plight and endeavored to have her rescued and restored. Sharing the love of Jesus they worked with an investigation and rescue team to build her case and plan her escape. It was indeed something out of Mission Impossible.

After 8 months of undercover preparation, with determined courage and faith in a hope not yet seen, T12 made her escape successfully! Unsure whether we’d ever see her again, one of our at risk artisans designed a one of a kind bracelet for T12. Molded from melted bullet casings from the Vietnam era killing fields and in her own language, the bracelet said “freedom”! Freedom from slavery, freedom to pursue her own choices, freedom to experience the joys of life for the first time.

We are making the same bracelet available to those interested in stopping slavery through human trafficking! All funds go back to The ongoing work to help other T12s and T10s and even T8s! We are in this together friends. Together we can change lives one “T” at a time.

Bracelets are available in 2 colors: black or purple $35 plus shipping. PM us at pete.livingston@gmail.com to order.

If you would like to partner with us in this ongoing work to set captives free, please click here DONATE and accept our sincere appreciation.

08.14.2018

Don’t hit SNOOZE on this one

Don’t hit snooze on this alarm.

Like many people, I have a snooze button on my alarm clock. I seldom use it. Perhaps just once or twice in 10 years. But I know that when I have hit it, I lay waiting, knowing that it will sound again.

Let me sound an alarm that I hope you will not “snooze” through.

Children are being targeted by human traffickers every minute of every day in the US. And they are using tools we as parents and grandparents have given them to use. Smartphones. The bait of entrapment.

Pay a kid $10 to friend you and then ask all his friends to friend his “new friend”. Because this second level of “friending” is from a familiar person, kids dive right in. False profiles, false enticements, kind words, and then…….. the request to meet somewhere seemingly innocent. Remember, the “target child” thinks they are meeting someone their own age. From their group of “friends”. Why not meet up at the mall, the soccer field, a concert (they offer free tickets)? It all seems so innocent.

But it is not. It is happening to our kids and grandkids right now and they are too innocent to realize the situation they are strolling into. Parents. Dont SNOOZE this one.

Don’t wait to have these discussions. Don’t wait until a friend goes missing. Prevent the atrocity.

Help us prevent the atrocity by raising awareness.

Please consider a donation to IncurableFanatics.org. We cannot fight for you but we can fight with you.

08.07.2018

SeeSomethingDoSomething

Increasingly in the US we see signs of human trafficking. Don’t be surprised! It is a highly profitable business and there are many young girls and boys easily entrapped then enslaved for a period of profitability to their captors. Economics without morals is ugly.

But what is even worse to me is turning a blind eye. But what if turning a blind eye is because you don’t know what to do? Let us help you with that.

When you see something out of sorts like the US Postal worker in California did last week. He called police when he found a girl crying on his route. Or the flight attendant who noticed a young girl on her plane who looked frightened by the man next to her. She had security meet the plane on arrival. Or the realtor who noticed trash bins at the street in front of an elegant home that was supposedly empty and for sale.

When you see something, do something.

Snap a photo with your phone. Get a license plate, a street address or facial shot of those involved.
Google human trafficking help near me. Get the phone numbers and save them to your contacts.
As you go about your daily routine, don’t look past what seems odd. Ask yourself if the oddness could be a sign of someone trapped as a modern day slave. Then follow 1 & 2.

#SeeSomethingDoSomething

Join us in ending this modern day atrocity. Refuse to turn a blind eye.

If you already support our work, please know how grateful we are to have you with us each time we engage in the fight. If you are not yet a supporter, please consider a one-time or ongoing donation so that we can continue this fight to spread the Gospel and fight trafficking of children for sex. Donations

06.19.2018

The Complete Guide to Coming Home

Oh, you’re going back to America for a holiday huh? Kinda, sorta.

While we do get to visit briefly with our precious family, but t’s a work trip: fundraising, human trafficking awareness events, donor functions and church visits. It’s exhausting…

Here’s what it takes to”COME HOME” from the mission field..

*Make airplane reservations six months in advance: Seoul, Taipei,Gangzhou, Bangkok, Hong Kong which way to go?
*Acquire housing, transportation and meals for all the six locations you will be living in.
*Wife gets out suitcases and begins to pack one month in advance.
*Wife gets out husband’s suitcase day before the flight and he still hasn’t packed 6 hours before flight time.
*Go to nine different local Cambodian pharmacies to acquire all necessary “just in case” medications.
*Crack a tooth 2 days before you leave and have to get it repaired where?
*Travel to far off remote small strip mall to find your airline to choose your seat assignment.
*Because you’re coming home for six weeks you have to pay your rent and electricity two months in advance so..
*Go to an ATM machine every day for two weeks to get enough cash because the limit here is so small.
*Fill out countless forms because your visa expires when you get back.
*Fill out those same countless forms again because your drivers license will expire before you get back.
*Purchase 24 passport photos and 12 thumbprints later you may or may not get your visa or drivers license.
*Have long sad tearful temporary goodbyes to all your Cambodian friends and coworkers (miss them already).
*Fill an entire suitcase of Made27 artisian products, coconut balls for gifts, countless scarves, and birthday and wrapped Christmas presents for the rest of the year for all family members.
*Completely empty and clean out refrigerator in case the power goes off while you’re gone.
*Wrap or put in plastic tubs any food products left in your cupboard so the ants don’t take over.
*Clean apartment top to bottom, strip all the beds, clean mosquito netting.
*Put mothballs in all closets and drawers where clothing is kept.
*Bug bomb the whole place before you leave.
*Give your 22 plants to your friend so they can water while you’re gone.
*Pray your moto is still here when you return.
*You experience 3 different currencies on the route home- make sure you have enough?
*Try to remember what time zone you’re in?
*Deep breathing as you ponder the 30 hour flight and swollen ankles- pack compression socks.
*Pack 19.9999999 kilos in each suitcase (20K max) see photo yeah!
*Don’t forget your old 110v curling iron you use once a year in the states.
*Pack an entire bag of phone cords, outlet adaptors, car jacks, battery packs, kindle chargers, iPad chargers, computer chargers, small speaker.
*Notice you need a whole new wardrobe after living in SE Asia 4 years- it’s all falling apart after being cleaned and air dried outside in the sun.
*Disconnect internet, swap out Cambodian SIM card, remember to go on airplane mode, buy a $1 phone scratch card to have minutes on your phone when you return in the middle of the night and need to book an Uber.
*Quick mani pedi ($12 here) with your sweet expat friend you’ll miss.
*Remember to say “thank you” in English instead of “សូមអរគុណច្រើន” in Khmer.
*Oops – last-minute T-shirt order came in for Made27 for 440 shirts! *Again have to go to three different ATMs to get enough funds to cover the T-shirts. By the way did you know our human trafficking survivors can make your company or church T-shirts?
*Your 80-year-old mother again reminds you she’s counting the minutes until you are “safe” on US soil again.
*Have beef lok lak, sour soup and fresh coconut juice one more time.
*But can’t wait for chips and salsa, diet Dr Pepper, Tommy’s Pizza, Captain Curt’s and red Twizzlers!

And it is worth every step. Hello family and friends!

04.28.2018

One Cell Phone, One God

I must brag. I am so proud.

They call me “Mom” – my 8 teachers who daily I get the privilege to mentor in the Christian faith, train teacher skills, drill English and model before them a life centered on Christ.

They are young.

For the past year, I have spent many hours teaching and hanging out with this awesome group of young people prodding them to read their Bibles daily, act on what they’ve read, go to church, involve themselves in Bible study, teach their students the beauty and the faithfulness of our amazing God. Most days I’ll be honest I wonder- do they hear me? Am I making a difference? Do they want to grow in the Lord? (big sigh)

And then Wednesday happened.

Unbeknownst to any of us, a local drug dealer in the village had threatened one of our first graders that if he did not steal one of the teacher cell phones at school, he would kill him!

The child stole the phone, delivered it to the dealer but broke down in sobs when he got home and reported to his parents what he had done.

The parents marched their son right back to the school to confess to his teacher what he had done. The child was mortified, scared to death and knew expulsion and condemnation was due.

But instead, grace ensued…..

My precious teacher hugged him, forgave him, ensured him of his love for him as Christ had loved him in his vileness (the teacher) and vigorously invited him back to school the next day.

This part-time teacher makes $90 for a half day teaching, attends university on his own dime in the afternoon and evening, buys nightly dinner and lives in a quiet corner of a church empty room. A Samsung phone is a big deal, but His God was bigger!

Both parent and child were stunned…shocked…amazed! This doesn’t happen in Cambodia. Stealing would have been sure termination from the school and an unbearable shame to his family.

These Buddhist parents were overheard saying, ‘This school is different, it’s the Jesus school!”

As I was rejoicing in my quiet time for this young man and his Christian walk, God gave me this verse of praise for that teacher,

“ Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace (2 Corinthians 1:12).”

Way to go VanSol! This “Mom” teacher trainer could not have been prouder!

04.22.2018

We are in “banner days”

To you, our followers, donors and senders, we have so much to say and hope that you can accept that for security reasons, we can only tell part of the story of this last year and these present weeks. The fruit of your faithfulness in keeping us going is beyond our expectations. Beyond a simple thank you.

May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the name of our God set up our banners! …..(Psalm 10:5 ESV)

These are “banner days” as we see both educational initiatives and business initiatives taking hold. As these take hold, the local Christians gain influence. They can raise the banner and find new levels of leadership. It is slow but it is really happening, one life, one place at a time. These Cambodian friends are taking ownership of the work they are doing and the opportunities they are finding. Some do it well quickly, some need more encouragement. Whatever they choose and whatever pace they choose, they own it. They are the emerging leaders.

We will be home in July for rest and meetings and we encourage you to call us while we are stateside so we can share more openly and face-to-face whenever possible. Ask us about the school growing so fast there are 30 kids in a classroom and the waiting list to enroll. Ask us about the sisters. Ask us about starting a business to repair roofs made of scrap steel. We have some banner stories.

Host an Awareness Event. We are scheduling in-home Awareness Events for weekdays and weeknights in July now. Gather your neighbors, friends, small group and we will open your eyes to modern day slavery and how you (and we) so often walk right past it. Oh the difference open eyes and an informed mind can make. Oh the joy of freedom fresh on the face of a new freed man or woman. You can be engaged in setting captives free. Do it!

Support. If you support our work on an ongoing basis we cannot express strongly enough our deep appreciation. If you have not yet had the chance to join with us as partners, perhaps that time in now. Click here for donor information and tax deductible giving.

03.18.2018

Rise Up or Shrink Away.

The battle of modern day slavery is growing and we must rise to meet it or shrink away and allow it to consume millions more.

When we first entered the battle of modern day slavery and child sex trafficking, our community of friends was shocked. Not at our entry but by the extent of the atrocity. Now, nearly 4 years in, the atrocity is growing rapidly. The US statistic for 2017 was up a whopping 13% (Polaris Project). Where the Gospel is largely absent or silent, this plague appears to be growing even faster.

Missions is about sharing the Gospel. The Gospel is about changing lives. Changed lives don’t enslave others. The formula is simple on the surface. But the work is far from simple or over in the field. Look at the picture, this plague has become widespread even in the US. Can we simply pretend it is only “over there”?

We offer our deepest thanks to you our supporters for making it possible for us to work to change the circumstances of modern day slavery and specifically child sex trafficking. Teaching those who are most vulnerable to become teachers instead of victims and owners of honorable businesses instead of sellers of humans. We cannot be here doing this unless you are there at our backs. You sending is as valuable a link as us going. There is just no way we can secure an income from the already impoverished people we work beside for their advancement. So whatever sacrifice you are making to engage with us please know that the impact is powerful and you have our most sincere appreciation. Spread the word about what YOU are doing to fight back. Begin to be identified as a modern day abolitionist.

Host an Awareness event this summer in your church, community or neighborhood. Be observant in your community. Report suspicious activity. Set captives free! Join us in this fight for our sons, daughter and grandchildren.

“Speak and act as those who will be judged by the law of freedom (James 2:12 HCSB)”

We did not casually enter into this battle. We knew it would be hard, at times ugly, at times beautiful but always right. We knew we were leaving behind secure and familiar circumstances – safety, but we knew it was right to fight for those bound in slavery.

Is this your battle too? Join us by clicking here

For more information on hosting an Awareness Event: pete.livingston@gmail.com

For information of distributing products made through victim/at risk community work programs: pete.livingston@gmail.com

To view and purchase goods directly, visit Made27

01.21.2018

Hitting “Reset”

Hitting reset. Then what? It is what we get to do. Human trafficking does not simply end with “reset”.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…” (Matthew‬ ‭28:19 ESV‬‬)

I have come to realize that in many places where we send people to “go and tell and make disciples”, where we work now thanks to a slew of supporters, the hearers need a lot of mentoring to shift from being hearers to being trusters and doers.

This step is not automatic. Nurturing and mentoring is needed. Is this not the role of believers and the church to new believers? What if the church has little generational depth in believing and following? This is where the missionary who is sent steps in. Encouragers who help new believers hit “reset” in their lives.

I have learned that when you teach someone to hit the “reset” button they will need to know the hows and be mentored in the new way as it unfolds. There is no familiar path and very few to follow or lead the way.

“…. teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ‭‭(Matthew‬ ‭28:20‬ ‭ESV‬‬)

Hitting “reset” in American culture affords many opportunities through churches, small groups, para church groups and multiple resources for the new believer to become trusters and doers.

Hitting “reset” in a foreign culture does not often afford the same support groups and materials. Except when there are “senders, supporters and goers” who can become the resources for the new start.

Our focus is those lost, trapped and often unseen in the world of human trafficking. When they decide they want to to reset their lives the things they must shed are often dark, heavy and so discouraging that hitting reset will only begin a loop back in a very short time. Sustaining the reset takes mentors.

That is what we get to do. Set the captives free and walk with them in “reset mode”.

We say thank you to our senders, supporters who make it possible for us to be goers and mentors.

We pray 2018 will bring Good News to those around you. Help someone hit “reset” in their life.

If you are interested in helping to end modern human trafficking, we would love to have you on our support team. Visit our donor page at Click here